stout



R. K. STOUT COMPASS MOUNT Sept. 28, 1937.

7 Original Filed June 23, 1956 h m Na xm mm INVENTOR /4Y 0ND K5700? Reissued Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES COMPASS MOUNT Raymond K. Stout, Dayton, Ohio Original No. 2,085,050, No. 86,796, June 23,

dated June 29, 1937, Serial 1936. Application for reissue August 12, 1937, Serial No. 159,022

Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to readily adjustable mounts whereby magnetic compasses may be bodily shifted within an aircraft or small watercraft for the purpose of correcting compass card deviations,

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simplified mechanism for obtainng the result above-mentioned.

Another object is to provide a mount which will require a minimum of verbal or Written instructions as to card deviation correction following the positioning of an aircraft or water craft on swinging base or table.

A still further object is to provide a mechanism which may be readily secured against accidental disturbance, following its adjustment on the aforesaid swinging base or table.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain new and novel features and combinations which will be hereinafter more fully illustrated and described in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing, in which numerals of a like character designate similar parts throughout the several claims:

Fig. l is a side View of the invention in' partial cross-section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the invention in reduced scale and in partial cross-section.

Fig. 3 shows the compass viewing end of the invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2, an instrument panel I and a brace tube 2 form part of the fixed structure of any vehicle to which it is desired to apply my invention. The panel I is provided with a hole 3 and a resilient ring 4 for mounting an inverted L-shaped housing 5 by means of a bracket 6, bolts 1, washers 8, and nuts 9. A coupling I0,

provided for connection of the lower portion of the L-shaped housing 5 to the upper portion of a horizontally disposed L-shaped housing I I, is freely manually rotatable with respect to both housings. The midhorizontal portion of the housing I I and the central portion of the braced tube 2 are rendered readily adjustable with respect to one another by means of a clamp assembly I2.

The latter assembly consists of a clamping member I3, pivotally secured to a second clamping member I4 by means of a journal pin I5.

Referring to Fig. 2, the horizontal end of the housing I I is enlarged to telescopically receive an end of a second horizontally disposed L- shaped housing I6. The enlarged end of the t at housing II is provided with a longitudinal slot I1 and bosses is. The members I3 and I4, as well as the bosses I8, are provided with studs I9 and wing-nuts 20.

Rettu'ning to Fig. 1, the upper portion of the L-shaped housing II is rotatably secured to a compass bowl 2I. The bowl 2| is composed of an inner housing 22, an outer housing 23, cover glasses 24a and 24b, an upper cover plate 25, a lower cover plate 26, bolts 21, nuts 28 and lock washers 29. The upper cover plate is provided with an opening 30, sealed by a dome 3| provided with a light source 32. Journals 33 are provided upon the inner surfaces of the cover glasses 24a and 24b for mounting a translucent compass card 34, immersed in a dampening liquid 35. A locking disc 36 provides fixity between the lower cover I plate 26 and the upper portion of the L-shaped housing II, following desired rotational adjustment.

The upper extremity of the L-shaped housing 5 forms the viewing end of my invention and is provided with a field lens or ground glass 31, a retaining collar 38, an image forming lens 39 and a retaining sleeve 40. The three elbow portions of the housings 5, II and I6 are provided with cover plates 4| (as shown for housing I I) to permit installation therewithin of optical prisms 42a, 42b, and 420, retaining seats 43a and retaining springs 43b. The prism 42c acts as an objective prism for a second image forming lens 44 secured in the L-shaped housing I6 by means of a retaining sleeve 45. The upper extremity of the L-shaped housing I6 forms the objective end of my invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the coupling I9 performs a two-fold function. First, it permits relative rotation of the L-shaped housings 5 and II about their common vertical axis z-z. Secondly, it permits internal rotational adjustment of a rotating prism 46, about the axis z.2, without disturbing prearranged and fixed adjustment of the aforesaid L-shaped housings 5 and II. The coupling I0 comprises a shouldered adjusting disc 41, internally flanged collars 48 and 49, lock washers 56 and screws 5|, the latter parts being utilized for holding the disc 41 and collars 48 and 49 in assembled relation. A lock-nut 52 is used to prevent movement between the L-shaped housing II and the internally flanged collar 49. In like manner a lock-nut 53 is used to prevent movement between the internally flanged collar 49 and the adjusting disc 41. Thus, combined tightening of the lock-nuts 52 and 53 eifects fixity of the rotating prism 46 with respect to the L-shaped housing II. It should be noted that the prism 46 is fixed to the coupling I0 by means of a resilient ring 54. Further, while a lubber line 55 might equally well be inscribed upon the glass 31, the prisms 42a through 420, or the lenses 39 and 44, the same is positioned upon the under surface of the lower cover glass 24b, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Adjustment of my invention is accomplished as follows. In the plan of Fig. 2, az-x represents an axis parallel to or coincident with the longitudinal axis of any vehicle. It is well known, to those skilled in the art that compass lubber lines must at all times be maintained in predetermined longitudinal alignment with reference to the vehicle axes Within which they are installed. For the purpose of simplifying explanation, the plan longitudinal axes of the L-shaped. housings 5, H and I5, as well as the lubber line of Fig. 2, are shown in coincidence with a longitudinal axis of reference :I:J:. The compass bowl is shown in position Zla. By loosening the wing-nut 2i! seated upon the near lug IS, the bowl may be extended along the axis :c-r into varying positions up to and including position. Zlb. The bowl 2! is fixed against longitudinal movement by re tightening of the wing-nut 20 against the near lug [8. The letters, numerals and scale markings of the translucent compass card 34 are read from the under surface of the card and for that reason are so disposed that normal right side-up images thereof are obtained in the field lens or ground glass 31 of Fig. 3 with the housings-bowl disposition of Fig. 2.

Let it next be assumed that a vehicle containing my invention is headed due north upon a swinging base or table and that the compass card 34 is found to deviate to left or right of the lubber' line 55 shown in Fig. 3, due to disturbing forces set up within the structure of the aforesaid vehicle, when the housings bowl disposition of Fig. 2 is maintained. By loosening the Wing-nuts 2! of the clamping members l3 and I4 and the locknuts 52 and 53 of the coupling iii, it is possible to swing the combined L-shaped housings H and 16 about the vertical axis 2-2 from 40 to degrees either side of the longitudinal axis x-zc, depending upon fore-and-aft spacing of the panel I and the brace tube 2. If the locking disc 36 be simultaneously loosened and the longitudinal axis y-y (through lubber line 55) of the compass bowl 2i be maintained at all times parallel to the axis :cm of Fig. 2, a position may be found in which the compass card will no longer deviate to left or right of the lubber line 55. Upon attainment 0; no deviation, the locking disc 36 and aforesaid wing-nuts 2B are tightened, fixing the L-shaped housings II and IE and the compass bowl 2| with respect to the vertical axis 2-2. It is then a simple matter to regulate the adjusting disc 4'! such that image canting which would otherwise appear in Fig. 3 and which is always present in azimuth adjustment of any periscopic type optical system, is entirely eliminated. Stated in simple proportional form, if for each ten degrees of clockwise or counter-clockwise deviation of the L-shaped housings H and I? from the longitudinal axis .Z-.'II, a like five degrees of clockwise or counter-clockwise deviation of the adjusting disc 4'! is observed with respect to the longitudinal axis .r-r, no image canting will be observed in the field lens or ground. glass 3'! of Fig. 3.

Having described the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the construction shown and described is subject to changes, alterations and modifications. I am fully aware of this and it is to be understood that the specific construction shown in the accompanying drawing is merely illustrative of the present preferred embodiment of my invention and that I consider myself entitled to all such changes and modifications as may fall within the purview and limit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A remotely reading magnetic compass corn= prising, in combination, a periscopic type optical system including a fixed viewing portion and a movable objective portion, means for adjusting the position of said movable portion in azimuth, and a magnetic. compass carried by and adjustable about an axis parallel to but remotely located from the ads of rotation of said movable portion, said compass including a card having an illuminated indicia portion arranged in the field of said optical system.

2. A remotely reading magnetic compass including, in combination, a periscopic type optical system including a fixed viewing portion and a movable objective portion, means. for adjusting the position of said movable portion in azimuth, further means for varying the length of said movable portion, and a magnetic compass carried by and adjustable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said movable portion, said cornpass including a card having an illuminated indicia portion arranged in the field of said optical system.

3. A remotely reading magnetic compass comprising, in combination, a periscopic type optical system including a fixed viewing portion and a movable objective portion, means for adjusting the position of said movable portion in azimuth, further means for varying the length of said movable portion, and a magnetic compass carried by and adjustable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said movable portion, said compass including a card pivotally mounted about an axis eccentric with respect to the optical axis of said objective end and having an illuminated indicia portion disposed in the field of said objective end.

. 4. A remotely reading magnetic compass comprising, in combination, a periscopic type optical system including a fixed viewing portion and a movable objective portion, means for adjusting the position of said movable portion in azimuth, further means for varying the length of said movable portion, a magnetic compass carried by and adjustable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said movable portion, said compass including a card pivotally mounted about an axis eccentric with respect to the optical axis of said objective end and having its indicia. positioned for registration with said objective end, and means for illuminating an indicia portion of said card.

5. A remotely reading magnetic compass comprising, in combination, a periscopic type optical system including a fixed viewing portion and a movable objective portion, means for adjusting the position of said movable portion in azimuth, further means for varying the length of said movable portion, a magnetic compass carried by and adjustable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said movable portion, said compass including a card pivotally mounted about an axis eccentric with respect to the optical axis of said objective end and having a translucent illuminated indicia portion positioned for registration with said objective end, and means for illuminat ing a portion of said card indicia by direct lighting means.

RAYMOND K. STOUT. 

